WATER HYGIENE & SAFETY Nexus. 2022 Jun; 100094.


3 To become more water efficient. Our Pledge [Internet]. NHS Property Services. https://tinyurl.com/3rstef8y


4 THE NHS: Carbon Footprint. Sources of NHS carbon emissions (England). Faculty of Public Health Special Interest Group – Sustainable Development. https://tinyurl. com/3dc9ccbv


5 Carbon reduction plan requirements for the procurement of NHS goods, services and works [Internet]. NHS England. 14 February 2023. https://tinyurl. com/2p9yd6b4


6 Health Technical Memorandum 04-01: Safe water in healthcare premises. Part B: Operational management. Department of Health & Social Care. 2016. https://tinyurl. com/mwhdzxwk


7 Green C. Scotland’s ageing hospitals hit by hundreds of sewage leaks [Internet]. inews.co.uk. 12 April 2023. https://tinyurl. com/fd96864d


Effective, clean water systems require specialist knowledge to operate and keep in good order to avoid stagnation and the hygiene problems this can cause, Ecoprod stresses.


way.10 The benefits of such systems are


numerous, and should not be overlooked as part of the development of any hospital’s water management strategy. A professionally designed and installed rainwater harvesting system should deliver water quality that will be more than sufficient for non-potable applications such as WC flushing, laundry, and so on.


Specialist expertise required Installing water-saving products in healthcare environments does, however, require specialist expertise. Infection control needs to be at the forefront of all decision-making throughout the healthcare supply chain – from the commissioner of the system to the installer of the products. This means that contractors working on healthcare water systems need specialist knowledge and experience. For example, the tools should be cleaned between jobs to enhance hygiene and support tight infection control processes. Effective, clean water systems require specialist knowledge to operate and keep in good order to avoid stagnation and the hygiene problems this can cause. At Ecoprod we have many years’


experience helping hospitals and other healthcare organisations install water- saving technologies specifically designed to address these challenges. There are many measures that hospitals can take to safely reduce water consumption while maximising hygiene. An effective Water Safety Plan can identify where savings can be made, and which products are best suited to the requirements of a particular hospital.


66 Health Estate Journal November 2023


Adding value We work with many healthcare organisations, helping them develop and implement effective water management strategies. Our specialist team can add value throughout all steps of the process of installing new facilities or managing your water supply. After any new product is installed, it is vital that it is commissioned and set up correctly. Ecoprod can carry out this process on behalf of a client, or train the in-house team to carry out this work themselves, keeping costs lower, and resource in house. We offer full training on all products to ensure that maintenance engineers are self-sufficient and educated on best practice for each product. A senior manager in a healthcare


organisation once told me that ‘Health buildings require more water, not less, in order to keep them healthy’. Modern technological advances mean that view is increasingly outdated. Using less water definitely does not mean compromising on hygiene. Quite the opposite in fact. Modern water-saving technology offers opportunities to further enhance hygiene and patient safety, while also enabling healthcare organisations to significantly reduce their water use and carbon footprint, supporting the move towards Net Zero.


References 1 Merriman D. Efficient water delivery is vital for healthcare climate resilience [Internet]. Hospital Times. 20 December 2021. https://tinyurl.com/4tjd4yru


2 Sowby RB, Capener A. Reducing carbon emissions through water conservation: An analysis of 10 major U.S. cities. Energy


8 Legionnaires’ disease – Risk systems – Hot and cold water systems [Internet]. Health & Safety Executive. 2014. https://tinyurl. com/2bbcuzf5


9 Why should we care about leaky loos? Rand R. Thames Water. WaterSafe plumbers advice – leaking toilets waste water and money [Internet]. https:// tinyurl.com/332p6k2c


11 Reimagining rainwater in hospitals [Internet]. Mayor of London. https:// tinyurl.com/2rndvtz8


Paul Musgrove


Paul Musgrove, Sales director at Ecoprod, has worked on healthcare projects both in the UK and internationally since the early 1990s. Since 2007 he has specialised in washroom-related products, with a preference for sustainable experience. He believes in delivering correct solutions for customers in an ethical and consultative manner. He has been Sales director at Ecoprod for the past two years, helping a range of clients from the healthcare and other sectors to use less water, and save and recycle more.


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